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Sopwith Camel First Flight
The Sopwith Camel was extremely manoeuvrable, but was difficult to handle for an inexperienced pilot due to the very light, sensitive controls. However, in more capable hands it could turn to the right faster than any other fighter at the time, and could turn 270 degrees right faster than the equivalent of 90 degrees left. It was also much faster than the enemy Fokkers, meaning it became one of the most successful aircraft of World War 1. -
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History of Aviation in Kingston
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Sopwith Dolphin First Flight
The Dolphin's main strength was the excellent view the pilot could get. Unlike other aircraft, nothing obstructed their sight, meaning it was not only safer but much more deadly to enemies. It was much easier to fly than the Camel, meaning many more pilots were trained with it and it was used a lot. It was mounted with 2 syncronised Vickers machine guns as well as 2 Lewis guns, the latter of which were often discrded due to the fact that they often swang into the pilot's face mid-flight. -
Sopwith Rainbow First Flight
The Rainbow was unique in that it was designed as a racing plane, not a fighter. However, it would have proved useful in the war because, as a racer, it was very speedy and agile. Despite this, however, only one of these was ever built, potentially because it was seen as a waste of resources that could be used for warplanes. as well as the fact that it was not designed to carry guns. -
Hawker Hurricane First Flight
The Hawker Hurricane (designed by Sydney Camm) was the key aircraft that gave us victory at the Battle of Britain, winning 60% of all the fights. It was also the first operational RAF aircraft that could reach 300mph, easily faster than any Luftwaffe plane, and this meant that it was used throughout the Second World War to great effect. It was later developed into the Huntr and then the Harrier, so it is really the base-rock for all of today's aviation. It was also relatively easy to produce. -
Hawker Hunter First Flight
The Hunter has served with 21 other air forces around the world, and is still active in the Lebanese one. It broke the world speed record in 1953, reaching a remarkable 727mph, and this was its key strength. It has the capacity to hold 2,000lb of explosives, and has 4 20mm cannons in the nose. It was used in two-seatr variants for training purposes up until the 1990s, when it retired in the UK. Hunters fought in many foreign wars, including the Six Day War, and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 -
Hawker Harrier First Flight
Also known as the 'Jump Jet', the Harrier was able to reach astonishing speeds of over 730mph, which made it arguably Kingston's greatest aviation achievement. It could take off vertically, without the need for a runway, had twin 30mm Aden cannons and had the capacity to hold 5,000lb of bombs. The Harrier was very influential during the Falklands War, and is the only aircraft in operation with the U.S Airforce that is not an American design. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3-02dybpys
